Worcester Warriors to ‘express interest’ in Championship place

Holland last week confirmed a commitment to “return Warriors to professional rugby” when plans were announced to redevelop their former Sixways home to include a hotel, solar farm and medical centre.

Currently Sixways is home only to football – to non-league side Worcester Raiders, who play in the Hellenic League Premier, and Worcester City Women, who play in Division One Midlands.

A new logo and website were recently launched – and a substantial five-figure sum has been spent refurbishing the eight-year-old artificial playing surface.

Holland also owns Wasps, who went out of business in the same season as Worcester, and have been linked with a move to Kent.

Meanwhile, the future and make-up of the Championship beyond this season has yet to be confirmed with a number of clubs expressing concerns about its finances.

The Professional Game Partnership (PGP) has an agreement with the RFU and Premiership Rugby (PRL) for the next eight years.

It will see Premiership clubs receiving £33m per season as the PGP aims “to create world-leading English teams and thriving professional leagues”.

But Championship clubs – which are not a part of the new deal – will each receive their lowest ever sum of £133,000 this season.

From 2025-26, as part of the PGP, a two-legged play-off will see the bottom-placed Premiership side and the winner of the Championship meet to decide who stays up or goes up – provided the second-tier club meets the minimum criteria for promotion.